Religious Coalition Formed To Oppose US Use Of Torture

Earlier this month, a group of religious leaders announced the formation of a new group, the National Religious Campaign Against Torture. Its first project was an ad published in the New York Times and elsewhere beginning June 13, urging the United States to abolish torture without exceptions. The Washington Post last week reported that the signers of the ad came from a broad range of religious groups and include a number of conservatives. Deputy White House press secretary Dana Perino, in response to the ad, said: "this government does not torture, and we adhere to the international conventions against torture. That is our policy, and it will remain our policy." The new group supports applying a torture ban to every arm of the U.S. government; closing secret U.S. prisons around the world; ending the rendition of suspects to countries that use torture; and granting the Red Cross access to all detainees.